I have recently seen an increase in the number of my patient families who are not following the recommendation to keep kids in the back seat until 13 years of age. When I ask the parents of my 8-12 year old patients where they sit in the car, I commonly hear the following: “He is [...]
Time Magazine Kicks Moms Right in the Boob
You’ve seen it, right? The cover of Time magazine? The cover features a beautiful, blond mother standing in defiant confidence while breast feeding her nearly 4-year-old son. Unexpected? Maybe. Shocking? No. I have no problem with this cover photo. It simply reflects one mother’s choice of how to best raise her child. The cover title, [...]
Thumb Sucking: Advice on When and How to Quit the Habit
Children sucking on their thumb (and/or fingers) is a common, normal behavior. Sucking is so naturally comforting that humans suck their fingers and toes as early as the womb. Even apes, chimps, and lemurs have been known to love the thumb! [Insert cute-thumb-sucking-baby-monkey-photo here:] Despite its normality, having a thumb-loving child causes parents concern. The [...]
Vaccines, Life, and 20 Seconds
Every 20 seconds, a child dies of a vaccine preventable disease. 1.5 million deaths every year. Unnecessary. From where we typically sit – on the comfy couch, of our air conditioned homes, on our laptop, while our kids run around safely in our fenced backyards – reading this fact might make us pause. The problem [...]
Bye, Bye Pacifier: 4 Favorite Ways Plus 1
How to get rid of the pacifier is something I talk about nearly everyday. For parents cautiously considering paci-elimination tactics, I share my four favorite ways to say goodbye and trouble shoot for success. Many times, the conversation about the pacifier becomes an all-consuming topic at the visit. Rightly so. As many mothers know, just [...]
Baby’s First Shoes: Four Things to Know
Shoes. Just saying the word can give this doc goosebumps. Many of my patient families know of my fondness for footwear. It is only natural, therefore, that I often get asked for children shoe recommendations. Most commonly, parents ask me about first shoes for their infants, and early walking shoes for toddlers. My “first shoe” [...]
Preschool Field Trip
Last week, I had the pleasure of sharing my pediatric office with 19 local preschoolers. They arrived excited and interested in all things “doctor.” A few challenging questions were asked of me, including: “What makes you different than a doctor who helps dogs?” “How do you cut up bodies?” “What is that “thing” on a [...]
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